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2011 Horoscope ForecastCancer the Crab in 2011 big challenges for the Crab

Happy New Year, Cancer. And 2011 is a year of big challenges for the Crab! Cancerians will come face to face with testing difficulties. What is certain though is that the outcomes will be totally dependent on your actions and reactions.

Saturn, Pluto and Jupiter are squaring off on opposing grounds, leaving your Sun (you!) the dot connecting the celestial square in the sky. The position of these planets is critical for you, Cancer, marking changes in the upcoming year. Many decisions will have to made, responsibilities considered and obstacles will have to be scaled. It's not that it's a bad year, but it is a tough one and you must face your problems with patience, diplomacy and careful planning.

Stern Saturn is in Libra, your home sector, which means obligations towards your parents, family, partner and home as a whole. Saturn is an authority figure that recognizes hard work: taking the easy way out just doesn't cut it for this planet. Light and easy work is not on Saturn's scale, and you may have to submit to a will that is not your own. Perhaps someone in charge is giving you a hard time, or an older family member is throwing their weight around and ensuring you have more responsibilities than you would like. If you're applying for a loan to buy or build a new home, or your house is undergoing some sort of structural change, such as an extension, issues from the past may hold this up.

2010 was marked by travel for most Cancerians, but this year you may miss home or your country of origin and be unable to visit. In any case, there is always a lesson to be learned from Saturn, so be patient because if you don't comply adequately with the rules, you will pay a heavy penalty in one form or another, whether morally or materially.

Pluto in your seventh house is staring down your sign, but Pluto is a lot easier to work with than Saturn if you deal with your partnerships with honesty and equity. Pluto will be in this sector for the next 14 years. Your relationships (business or marital) face a challenge with power struggles now. Deal too harshly with your partners and you will destroy the bond; deal too submissively and you will destroy yourself. Pluto is a double-edged sword, offering you the blessings of sharing, caring and loving and the curses of deceit and betrayal.

In 2010, Jupiter and Uranus were sparking good fortune and brilliant ideas for Cancerians, encouraging you to pursue higher education and fulfil your dreams. Uranus, which has been residing in emotional Pisces since 2003, will leave it permanently to enter fiery Aries, your house of career in 2011, so sparks of good fortune coming from that sector are also expected for you in the year ahead.

Jupiter, the Santa Claus of the zodiac, will enter Aries on January 18 and be joined by most of the inner planets by April 2011. For those of you who are looking for a job, a raise, or career advancement, 2011 is a great year for chances and opportunities, especially in April. Negotiate your terms; don't settle for less when you can do more. Surprising good news could be on the way for you, such as a sudden promotion with plenty of freedom and authority to go with it, which demands a big commitment on your part. Added to the potential in the sectors of home and partnerships, this will put you right in the center of a whirlwind, not knowing what to do. Take it easy, because your problems will find a way of sorting themselves out after mid-May.

By June, all your hard work will begin to reap the rewards you have rightfully earned. Money will start pouring in and for the rest of the year life will ease up, introducing you to new friends with whom you can share your thoughts and ideas and enjoy great times. Hopes and wishes are high, with a high probability of coming to life.

Love and Money

Venus, the lesser benefic, begins the year at the tail end of Scorpio, dancing with Jupiter and Uranus in Pisces. The beginning of 2011 should be a period of happiness after a time of reluctance and uncertainty which most likely occurred between October and November 2010. Venus is on the move, and all past setbacks regarding money, love, marriage, kids, recreational activity or travel should be on the right track again. Everything that feels okay will turn out to be all right for you, Cancer.

Venus steps out of the passionate realms of Scorpio on the 7th of January to bring romance into the work arena. Venus will soothe past misunderstandings or any hard feelings that resulted from Mercury's retrograde shenanigans in 2010. Work done and re-done in December 2010 will finally come to fruition. The 4th of Feb. will see Venus in Capricorn, bringing romance and love to the right place, your marital sector (Capricorn is your seventh house). With Pluto there, the emotional feelings will intensify. Venus once again will heal all wounds caused by the preceding passage of Mars and the retrograde period of Mercury in that sign, especially as those planets are now in your house of biological energy.

The Zodiac is also talking about unexpected financial income, such as an inheritance or help offered by family members or friends. This is likely to surface between the 2nd of March and the 26th. Venus finally catches up with the inner planets of April on the 21st to boost your chances of getting the reward, promotion or bonus you deserve. Jupiter completes his journey in Aries on the 5th of June and enters Taurus, again boosting your income for the next half of the year.

Home and Family

Saturn's stay in Libra is going to be testy for all Cancerians. It will require all the patience you have in you. It could involve relocation, innovation or new responsibilities towards your home or household. If you have longstanding pending or unresolved issues concerning your residence they are likely to resurface this year, demanding your attention, for they must be resolved. Please don't get the idea that Saturn's stay is likely to be resolved by a quick fix, Cancer! It will need careful consideration and long term planning.

You are likely under this influence to be facing some setbacks, or times when you have to stop what you're doing to reconsider what has been done and what needs to be done. Alternatively, try redoing the same project in a different way.

The tricky part is that problems will become complicated and interdependent, and you might get stuck in the middle of opposing forces, each demanding your attention.

The question is: can you keep the balance and your sanity together?
Sure you can!

Take note that the hardest months to tackle home and family matters will be September and October.

Work and Health

The year starts off with Saturn square the Sun, and so in a T-square to Cancer, especially potent at the Solar Eclipse on Jan 4. Saturn is in Libra, so is exalted, but turns retrograde for some months between Jan 26 and June 13. This phase makes you rather more subject to illness and depression, as it lowers your vitality. Have no fear of expressing what you truly are. This is a year to take risks, or adopt a new mode of life in order to truly realize what you are capable of doing. Your self image must be transformed, rather than reliving past errors, faults, or limitations. If kidney or lumbar problems develop, or skin problem such as psoriasis, dry skin, excessive sunburn etc., be sure to counteract vitamin deficiencies and boost your intake of calcium, magnesium and iodine.

The Moon's North Node enters Sagittarius in February/March, bringing a very positive outlook to your daily routines, although you need someone to assist you who is good with details. Your general health should improve this year (within the guidelines of the previous paragraph), as the North Node is expansive and counteracts the sickness-inducing focus of the 6th house. Nevertheless, be aware of the eclipses in this sign on Jun 15 and Nov 25. In general, no eclipses are good for the Moon-ruled, so be sure to take it easy thereabouts, especially the Cancer solar eclipse at your New Moon on July 1.

Career Matters

You want a better career? You got it! 2011 guarantees career developments, opening doors for you to choose the career you have always dreamed about!

You might branch out, start over or excel with new ideas at work. No one will be as qualified as you are, if you play your cards right. This year requires courage and shrewdness from you—and you need to trust your capabilities. Jupiter will not turn retrograde when passing through Aries this year—and that is, if you didn't know, exceptional my friend! It may see an offer that will move you up the professional hierarchy. Or it could be that you're fed up with one crummy job and are finally willing to change the line of your expertise.

Now is the time to change direction. Your new work will offer you the freedom to add your own touch to the job, a touch of genuine originality. Don't sit on your desk waiting for the opportunity to pass you by, reach out for it! Whatever it takes, get your boss to listen to you—it will be worth it. Don't get frustrated if the first attempt doesn't work, keep on trying. And the best period to do that is from January 8th until the middle of May. Don't over-estimate yourself though, because Saturn will be watching from the other side of the Zodiac...

Mercury the Messenger will retrograde three times in 2011, for about three weeks each time. The retrograde phase is a period for reconsideration and potential complications, and as the name implies, there is a message to be learnt. Breakdowns are largely due to neglect, inattention, misunderstandings or component failure. They often bring out the very issues we should have planned for—and didn't. During the retro period, and even for a week or two before and after, in the Mercury Shadow, we need to be aware of this tendency. It is best to put off major decisions, or signing crucial documents and agreements. It is not exactly wise to make important decisions while Mercury is retrograde, since it is likely they will be clouded by misinformation, poor communication and careless thinking. Mercury is all about mental clarity and the power of the mind, so when Mercury is retrograde these intellectual characteristics tend to be less acute than usual. Make sure you pay attention to the small print!

The first retrograde period is between the 30th of March and the 23rd of April. It will be a hectic time for you, especially with the bloody battle being waged between the planets during this interval of time. Mercury represents communication and thinking—and the retrograde in April indicates that you should take your time before making major shifts or big decisions in your life. Why not, when your home, love and career depend on it? The way I see it, this phase will not put fences in your way, but instead will give you time to think before your jump.

The second phase will be between the 3rd of August and the 26th of the same month. This one is purely financial, because retrograde Mercury will be in dramatic Leo, your house of money. Decisions are not favoured during this period, especially when we note that from the 5th Neptune is retrograding into your eighth house of other people's money and life's mysteries, making decisions faulty. Keep a firm reign on your expenses, so you won't have to face a financial crisis further down the track. Find out what's been draining your bank account. Stick to the basics and give up the accessories.

The third retro period will be from the 24th of November until the 14th of December in your house of work and health. You might discover that you have committed a mistake pertaining to communication or planning at work at this time and that you have to redo something. Reorganize your life and alter your schedule to meet the new requirements. An old health problem may resurface, demanding urgent attention. So take care of yourself, recharge your batteries and take some time off if you can.

Lunar Life with Lady Moon

Your Full Moon occurs on January 19 in the very last degree of Cancer. Oooh. That gives me the shivers, as that's the anaretic degree, the degree of Fate. However, it's associated with a bunch of aspects, many of which are truly favourable for the Crab, so the fate's looking good. Other people could be surprisingly beneficial. Fortunate Jupiter is in the last degree of Pisces, so he's having his last fling in his home town by receiving a beautiful and blessed trine from the Moon just a little before a lucky sextile aspect from the Sun. Now if that's not a good omen for the year, I don't know what is!

Your New Moon comes with a total Solar Eclipse on July 1. This indicates that to change the world around you, you'll have to begin with yourself. A minor adjustment of your attitude can make a big difference, so why not? Take care of your health and step away from the moral battlefield, it's not worth it.

Eclipses of both the Sun and the Moon often indicate the end of a cycle or a significant change in the direction or pattern of the affairs governed by the house in which the eclipse falls. Eclipses of the Sun may affect work, direction and relations with people in authority. Eclipses of the Moon may affect matters of home, family and emotions as well as relations with women and children. Both may affect your health.

A partial solar eclipse will occur on in Capricorn on Jan the 4th, so get ready for changes regarding your feelings towards your beloved and your family. There might be a clash over an issue that you haven't prepared yourself for. Don't get emotional or aggressive with close ones. Venus in Scorpio and Jupiter in Pisces will cushion the effects of this eclipse to some extent.

A second partial eclipse of the Sun will be in Gemini, your house of secrets and sorrows on the 1st of June. This one will very probably affect your mood. You may suddenly feel that you're incapable of resolving your problems or balancing your responsibilities—and this will may open the door to a lengthy retreat from society. June is marked with a lot of time away for reflection. That's fine, but don't let the difficulties get to you.

A total lunar eclipse occurring on the 15th of June in Sagittarius can affect your health and your performance at work, so be aware of this one. Protect yourself morally and physically. If you're unable to resolve your problems, let them be, there are better times ahead.

The third partial solar eclipse is at the New Moon in Cancer on July 1st. This one is also serious: it indicates that to change the world around you, you'll have to begin with yourself. A minor adjustment of your attitude can make a big difference, so why not? Again, take care of your health and step away from the moral battlefield, it's not worth it.

The fourth partial solar and second total lunar eclipses will occur on the 25th November at the New Moon in Sagittarius and the 10th of December at the Full Moon in Gemini respectively, emphasizing that you need to take it easy morally and physically. Another interpretation is that your job or the quality of the service that you deliver to your employer will undergo several radical changes.

That's it for 2011, dear Cancer. The best advice that I can give you is to be patient, because nothing is ever resolved overnight.

Don't forget to follow up our daily, weekly and monthly forecasts for more in-depth forecasts.